Non boaty question rebuilding a box trailer

[wombat88]

We have a box trailer that is 25 years old, bearings, tyres and metalwork all good, ply floor and sides rotten. Lives outside.

The first floor and sides lasted over 15 years. I replaced these with some ply that was £70 or so.. 1" thick. This hasn't lasted for 10.

Obviously the best ply is expensive and not really worth it for a trailer. I'll probably need 2 sheets 8' x 4' so it soon starts to get pricey.

Is there something cheaper that I can use? Can I use OSB and seal it? If so, with what?

Any suggestions welcome.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

I used 1" OSB on a trailer base and sides, 8'x4' trailer. The stuff lasted about 7 years, outside , in all weathers. It does deteriorate and by coincidence, I have just given the trailer away to a bloke who will refurbish it and use it, the OSB was soft in places. I did not seal OSB.

 

[ProDave]

Mine is solid planks of wood 1" thick. I got them free from work, they were the base of some packing crates. Treated with fence preserver and covered with a sheet of thin steel.

I just replaced the steel as it had rusted through, and the planks are still in good order. Re treated and now under the new steel sheet.

Planks are almost 30 years old now.

 

[wombat88]

Thanks, think I will go with cheap OSB and seal it with all those leftover quarter tins of boat paint cluttering up the garage, Hempel, International, Blakes etc etc all posh stuff but old. For a primer/undercoat I think I have big tin of antifouling primer which must be well over ten years old. I wonder if it is still liquid???

 

[ylop]

You’ve not got a roll of CSM and some epoxy (or even polyester and some gel/flowcoat)?

 

[The Q]

You’ve not got a roll of CSM and some epoxy (or even polyester and some gel/flowcoat)?

That's exactly what I did, sheathed the outside with glassfibre.
Though building it with something like this might work..
No More Ply 12mm Thick 1200x800mm | eBay

 

[PetiteFleur]

I used some plywood which had a rubber coat which seems fine after about 15 yrs - used on factory built trailers I notice. More expensive but seems okay - had to seal the edges. I have fitted a pvc cover to the trailer which helps.

 

[Fantasie 19]

We have a box trailer that is 25 years old, bearings, tyres and metalwork all good, ply floor and sides rotten. Lives outside.

The first floor and sides lasted over 15 years. I replaced these with some ply that was £70 or so.. 1" thick. This hasn't lasted for 10.

Obviously the best ply is expensive and not really worth it for a trailer. I'll probably need 2 sheets 8' x 4' so it soon starts to get pricey.

Is there something cheaper that I can use? Can I use OSB and seal it? If so, with what?

Any suggestions welcome.

I'd be using Stokboard or similar.. got my eye on a sheet when it inevitably comes time to replace the cockpit locker lids.. Agriculture & Equestrian Plastic Products | Centriforce Products Ltd

 

[Daydream believer]

If you want it to last, one might ask why penny pinch & skimp. My recommendation would be plastic faced plywood. That is what I have used on my trailers.--- 3.5 ton open drop side, 1 ton luton & .5 ton open tool trailer-- all used extensively for work. Plus a couple of sailboard trailers.

 

[snowbird30ds]

If you want it to last consider aluminium treadplate instead of wood.

 

[fisherman]

For a garden seat I found decking to be cheap.

 

[Daydream believer]

For a garden seat I found decking to be cheap.

Can you tow them behind an EV?

 

[snowbird30ds]

Can you tow them behind an EV?

That depends if people are still sitting on it.

 

[fisherman]

Can you tow them behind an EV?

Ermmm........it's stout enough to rebuild a box trailer .....?

 

[ridgy]

I did this job last month and used treated timber, painted with shed paint:

Wickes Treated Sawn Timber - 22 x 150 x 3000mm | Wickes.co.uk

Cost about £50 in total, I reckon it will outlast me. Had ply on it before which had fallen to bits. Spent a fair bit of time thinking about what to use and very happy with my choice.

 

[B27]

At the dump the other day, there was a box trailer based on a cut-down 'IBC', those cubic metre tanks that go on pallets.

I cheat. I borrow a neighbour's box trailer if I need one, he keeps it in a barn.

There are often free or cheap crates and pallets on FB marketplace and gumtree. My local motorbike shop gets Chinese scooters in plywood crates. You can scrounge a fair bit of plywood for beer money.

Just have to fix he trailer first, so you can take it home...

 

[fisherman]

Mine has ally sides, but the ply floor has gone twice. I suppose the cheapest sawn timber is going to be the answer unless there is something to be scrounged. 40-45 years ago I built three FVs, and the WBP, BS 1088 was affordable and excellent quality, untreated, used for the deck, never failed, just wore through.

Just been quoted 22 x 150 sawn treated at £8.72 per 4.8 M. £40 for mine. Travis P